Articulator



Apr. 17, 1923. 1,451,892

. G. W. REIMCHE ARTICULATOR Filed Feb. 11, 1922 Patented Apr. 17, 1923.

UNETEB 'STATEE GEORGE REIMCHE, OLE MOORHEAD, MINNESOTA.

ARTICULATOR.

Application filed February 11, 1922. Serial No. 535,836.

To all whom it mag/concern Be 1t known that I, Gnonon lV. REH/ICHE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at -Moorhead, in the county of Clay and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Articulators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an articulator to be used in dental work, andhas for its object the construction of a simple and efficient articulator for receiving models formed of plaster in carrying out crown and bridge work.

lVith this and other objects in view, my invention comprises certain novel combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the append ed claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an articulator constructed in accordance with the present invention, while Figure 2 is a view in side elevation, looking at the opposite side of the articulator, and showing the arm and upper plate re moved off the adjusting screw.

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3, Fi 2.

igure a Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a view showing, in elevation, the upper and lower plates.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, l. is a vertical standard provided at its lower end with a slide notch 2, into which slide notch the inner end 3 of the lower plate l extends, Fig. 4; an elongated aperture or slot 5 is formed in the end 3 of the lower plate l, and a screw 6 extends through this slot 5 into the standard 1; between the head of the screw and the lower end of the standard 1 is interposed a washer 7 the plate l can be slightly adjusted upon the lower end of the standard 1 by loosening screw (3.

The upper end of the standard 1 is bifur cated (Fig. 3) and through this bifurcated end extends screw 8. Pivotally mounted within the bifurcated upper end of standard 1, upon the screw 8, is arm 9; this arm 9 is bent at right angles, at 10, and in this bent portion is an elongated slot 11. On the outer end of arm 9 is a socket A clamp is a section taken on line ll,

plate 13 is assembled with the arm 9, and this clamp plate is provided, at its inner end, with an extension 14, which extension projects through the elongated slot 11. On the outer end of clamp plate 13 is a socket 12 the sockets 12 and 12 being formed for receiving the ball 15 on the inner end of the upper plate 16. A set-screw 17 extends through the clamp plate 13 and arm 9 (Fig. 3), securely fastening the sockets upon the ball 15.

A bracket 18 extends at right angles from the standard 1 at its middle, and this bracket is located between the upper and lower plates. On the bracket 18 is an adj usting screw 19; the screw 19 has its head 20 in position for being engaged by the inner edge of the arm 9.

in crown and bridge work, after the abutment, which are the teeth the bridge is anchored upon, to which a band or crown is fitted and while these are placed, the impres sion is taken, and also a bite on bees wax is secured and this plaster of Paris impression is varnished and rimmed-up inplate. After this plaster becomes hard, it is separated and the models are then placed into this bite, in bees wax. This wax bite gives the relationship of the jaws. Vhile the model is in this wax bite, it is mountedupon' an articulator, which serves the purpose of holding the-models, in correct relation while the crown or bridge is under construction.

In placing this model into the wax bite ninety-fire times out of one hundred it will not fit properly, then after this wax is boiled out, th model may be closed in the front and open in the back, if the bridge was constructed on this model, without establishing the correct relation, the bridge would not fit. And if these models are mounted upon an ordinary articulator, prior to my invention, the models would have to be knocked off and remounted before the correct relation could be established. However, with my articulator, this is not necessary; all one has to do is to loosen the set-screw 17, then screw inwardly upon the adjusting screw 19 unt l the correct relation is established, and then the operator can go ahead and make the bridge, being sure it will fit in the patients mouth.

In many cases, while placing the models in the wax bite, the dentist may get it in place on one side but not on the other, so after the wax has been boiled out or removed, the models being mounted on the articulator, the dentist will often find that the lingual crisp is closed and the buccal crisp is open. Now, with the old kind of articulator, the dentist would have to go to all the trouble again of knocking the models off and remodeling them. lVith my improved articulator time and trouble is saved because it does not require the removal of the models, as all that is necessary to do is to loosen set-screw l7, tilt ng the model buccaly in that way establishing the true relation.

In case a wax bite is being taken and the patient bites out too far, this cannot be ascertained until after the operation. The models being mounted on the articulator, with the old articulators, when the bite has occurred too far, the operation will have to be done over again, but with my improved articulator the extra impression is not required inasmuch as the loosening of the screw 6, holding the lower plate 4 on the standard 1 permits the sliding of the model plate backward to normal position; therefore, the advantage of the slot 5 on the lower plate.

.Vhile I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, and have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain minor changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates, during the extensive manufacture of the same and I, therefore reserve the right to make such alterations or changes as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is: v

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a standard, an arm'having its rear end pivotally connected with the up per end portion o'r' said standard, for vertical swinging movement, said arm being in a vertical plane and provided intermediate its length with a bent portion and an opening in said bent portion, said arm being provided at its outer end. with a socket, a clamp plate provided at its inner end with an angularly-disposed extension extending through the opening of the arm, said clamp plate being provided at its outer end with a socket registering with the socket on the arm, an upper plate provided at its inner end with a ball, for fitting between the sockets, and mounting the plate for universal movement, a set screw extending through the clamp plate and the arm and clamping the sockets upon the ball, means carried by the standard for controlling downward swinging movement of the arm, and a lower plate secured to the standard.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a standard, an arm pivotally mounted upon the standard for vertical swinging movement and provided with a socket, and with a slot between its ends, a clamp plate having a portion extending into the slot of the arm, said clamp plate provided with a socket, an upper plate provided with a ball positioned between the sockets, means for detachably fastening the clamp plate upon the arm and moving the plate into position to bring the socket thereof into finding engagement with said ball and hold the upper plate in an adjusted position upon said arm, means for adjustably supporting said arm upon said standard, and a lower plate secured to said standard.

3. An articulator comprising a standard, an arm pivotally connected with the upper end portion of said standard for vertical swinging movement, an upper plate adjust ably connected with said arm, the lower end of said standard having a seat formed therein, a lower plate having its rear portion extending into said seat and having a longitudinally extending slot, and a fastener extending through the slot into a socket in the lower end of the standard to secure the rear end of the lower plate in the seat and permit longitudinal adjustment of the lower plate.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix mv signature.

GEORGE N. REM [CHE 

